Frame



Dec. 9, 1941. J. A. scHucK FRAME Filed Aug. 18, 1938 -INVENTOR TTORNEYPatented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRAME Joseph AlfredSelim-ck, Bound Brook, N. J. Application August 18, 19st, Serial No.225,543

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a frame, which serves as a support holder andstand for flat objects to be exhibited, such as tablets, boards, mountedpictorial presentations or legends, which may for instance be assembledwith a protective and reinforcing transparent plate or sheet, such asglass. Such an object will hereinafter be defined as a stiff sheetobject.

The general object of this invention is to provide a frame, which may bereadily, replaceably and at random applied to a stiff sheet object ofany size, and will thus facilitate the setting up or hanging of theobject onto a suitable support, i. e. a level, inclined, or uprightstructure, such as a table wall or column.

Other objects of this invention, which are mostly incidental to thegeneral object just stated, will be elucidated in, and better understoodfrom the following exemplary description of the invention. Thedescription together with the accompanying drawing should be interpretedas illustrative rather than in limitation of this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a device of this invention which isapplied to and supports a flat sheet object.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing a cross-section taken at a level andin a direction pointed out in Fig. 1 by a dot-dash line, an arrow andthe numeral 2.

Fig. 3 .is another detailed cross-section, the direction and level ofwhich is pointed out by a dot-dash line and an arrow and the numeral 3in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a sheet which may be usedsupplemental to a frame of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional, developed view of another supplemental sheet madeof rubber or like material.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a supplemental sheet which is modified ascompared with th embodiment of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-section of a plug supplemental to a frameof this invention.

Fig. 8 shows a corresponding vertical crosssection.

Fig. 9 shows an elevation of sheeting used in connection with the devicejust referred to.

Fig. 10 is a corresponding top view.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

Unless some readily available auxiliary means are used, a device of thisinvention does not serve to support a limp object structurally in itsplane. In this respect a device of this invention differs from theordinary frame, which usually surrounds a sheet object completely,thereby normally also supporting it in its plane. The sheet M beprovided for such purpose. offset to one side, i. e. they extend throughthe object referred to is therefore generally defined as a stiff sheetobject, it being understood that a limp sheet object may readily beconverted into a stiff sheet object by a suitable backing or covering.

A device of this invention comprises a pair of brackets, which may besubstantially aligned. But, for purposes of economy of material andstill providing a maximum structural strength and stability, thebrackets may be made symmetrical to each other, i. e., there is a rightbracket II, and a left bracket I2. This arrangementwill also effect acertain harmony of the appearance; although appearance is not emphasizedherein. It is understood, that the appearance of a device of thisinvention may be vastly improved upon; but this specification is limitedto the simplest details required for an embodiment of this invention.

Each of the brackets comprises a riser l3 and a leg H, which in thedrawing is shown as complementary half-round sections, rounded off atopposite ends, and pivotally pressed together by a screw 15 at a fulcrumjoint. Thus they are frictionally engaged uponeach other, and-the riserand leg may be swung into alignment, when they represent a substantiallyround cross-section. However the leg I does not necessarily have to beas long as the riser l3. i

It is desirable to have such frictional contact between the riser l3 andthe leg l4, that they are fairly stable at any setting, when a stiffsheet object is mounted therein and supported thereby. Thus frictionalcontact between the riser and the leg may be improved upon, by providingadditional securing means at the fulcrumed'point, or by providing aspring or spring washer l6 underneath the head of the screw l5, which isshown in Fig. 3 as a shoulder screw.

A stiff sheet object is indicated in the drawing as a commonly usedembodiment, i. e. one or more pictorial representations l1 engagedbetween a pair of glass plates [8 and [9. --A longitudinal slot 29divides the upper portion of the riser l3 into bifurcations or forks 2|and 22, and is of such width that it accommodates a stiff sheet objectof an average thickness, together with some spacing or gripping means,which will be presently explained.

Means ought to be provided which clamp together the forked ends 2| and22, produced in the riser l3 by the slots 29. According to the drawing,one or more thumb screws 23 and 24 may Such screws are end 2! near thelateral outer surface thereof, and into the other end 22, where they arethread edly engaged. The stifi sheet object is inserted in the slot 20together with spacers or elastic sheeting, so that the width of the slot20 is substantially filled, and then the ends 2| and 22 are clampedtogether by manipulation of the screws 23 and 24, this operation beingrepeated in connection with the left bracket l2, after it has beenperformed in connection with the right bracket I I. The slot may beflared out wider for a certain distance near its outer end, as indicatedat 26, so that the stiff sheet object is firmly retained in slots 20,rather than being squeezed out thereof.

When spacing sheets 21 are used, they are pref 7 erably notched in orderto clear the tensioning means such as screws 23 and 24, and so that oneor more of these spacers may be inserted at random, each spacer beingfor instance made out ofcardboard. i A' firmer. engagement of the stiffsheet object which is provided with a plurality of perforationsv 29,near the center line, these perforations fitting oVer'the shanks ofthethumb screws 23 and 24. If thespacers 28 are made out of rubber,

. but are fairly stiff, they will always spread apart object-25. I r rBut in place of these perforations 29, the clastic sheet '28 may alsocontain slots 30, which correspond to the notches of the spacer 21, sothat the folded sheet 28 may be placed over the edge of. the stiffsheetobject 25, before it is inserted into'aslot 20. Risers I3, and legs Mare ex-- emplarily indicated in the drawing as being made of wood, butany other material of suitable resiliency, such as metal or moldedmaterial, may be used and-shaped as fancyand fashion may dictate.Theriser l3, should of course beof such width, that it liberally engagesupon the margin of a stiif sheet object alongside of the clamping meanssuch as thumb screws 23 and 24. And it, should be of such cross-sectionthat it is not readily twisted when the forks 2| and 22 are pulledtogether" for clampin purposes.

When the stiff sheet object is assembled from a'plurality of sheets, itmight gape along an outside -margin, when clampedly engaged alongthe'lower sides by the brackets H and I2. Then it may be advisable to usesuitable plugs 3| for the corners and 32- for theupper edge, inconnection withthe brackets II, and I2. lugs 3| and 3 2 may be slottedangularly or across respectively, preferably with bevelled entrancecorners, such; as indicated at 33, in connection with the slot 34 inthespherically. shaped lugs 3|. The lots, 34may be gouged so as to bewider at theinbottoms. This is particularly helpful in connection withspacers or molded rubber formae in 'order to allow "ready insertion of astiff sheet Such tions 35, whichserve to fill the ,slot when it is asthestate of the art and the appended claims may require, for it is obviousthat various modifications and changes may be made in the form ofembodiment of my invention, without departing from the spirit and scopethereof.

What I claim is:

1. A frame comprising a pair of brackets, each of said bracketsincluding a riser having forked ends separated by a slot of a widthsuitable to receive a marginal portion of a stiff sheet object, andhaving clamping means on one side of said ends for pulling them togetherinto clamped abutment with an objectplaced into said slot.

2. A frame comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged risers which areslotted from the top down but short of their lower ends, screws offsetto one side on said risers and serving to pull the upper ends of saidrisers together across said slots, in order to clamp upon a stiffsheet-like object inserted on its opposite sides into said slots, saidrisers being relatively spaced and secured in a common plane by such anobject, and a support extending from one of said risers in a planesubstantially normal to said common plane and adapted to be set at apreferred angle in said normal plane. 1

3. A frame comprising a pair of risers bifurcated for a major portion oftheir length, clamping means interconnecting the bifurcations of eachriser on one side, so that opposite sides of a stiff, sheet-likeobject-to'be framed may be inserted and engaged between the bifurcationsof each riser from the other side of said'riser, said risers beingrelatively spaced 'and secured in a common plane bysuch an object, and asupport extending from one'of said risers in a plane? substantiallynormal to said common plane and adapted to be set ata preferred angle insaid normal plane. Y

4. A frame comprising a pair of risers bifur-' cated for a major portionof;their length, the bifurcations of each riser. being farther .apartupon one side than on the other, and screw means interconnecting thebifurcations of each riser on the farther apart side, so thataniobjectto be framed may be inserted between the. bifurcations of eachriser from theopposite side thereof where the bifurcations are closertogether.

5. A frame comprising a, pair of brackets, each of saidbracketsincluding ajbifurcated riser, contracting means for clamping saidbifurcations side ways onto a stiff sheet object inserted there between,and a leg 'clampedly fulcrumed onto said'riser so that said riser. andleg may. be set at random at a preferred angle with each other, at whichthe risers and an, object clampedly engaged thereby are to be supportedon a supporting surface. j

6. A frame comprising a pair of brackets, each of said. brackets,including a bifurcated riser, screws for clamping said bifurcations ontoa stiff sheet objectinserted therebetween, and a' folded sheet ofelastic material perforated on opposite sides. of the fold in order toreceive said screws and shaped to fit between said bifurcationsover anobject inserted between said bifurcations.

7. A frame comprising a pairof brackets, each of said brackets includinga bifurcated riser, screws for clamping said bifurcations onto a stiffsheet object inserted therebetween, anda folded sheet of elasticmaterial slotted towards opposite sides from the fold in order toreceive said screws and shaped to fit between said bifurcations over anobject inserted between said bifurcations.

JOSEPH A. sc ucK.

